Map and like article support



Aug. 29, 1939. J BECK 2,171,497

MAP AND LIKE ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed Dec. 17, 1938 INVENTOR.

J An/de c l ace/,

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAP AND LIKE ARTICLESUPPORT Application December 1'7, 1938, Serial No. 246,342

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in supporting means for springrollers of the type particularly adapted for receiving maps, curtainshades, and like articles.

i One of the objects of the invention is toprovide a supporting memberwhich may readily be attached to the wall or other supporting backgroundcapable of receiving a roller frame in such a manner that the springroller frame may tilt,

thereby preventing the maps or other articles carried on the rollerframe from running crookedly on the roller and which, at the same time,while permitting a ready removal of the frame from the supporting memberwill also prevent the supporting frame and accompanying roller frombeing accidentally dislodged during the rolling and unrolling of themaps,

For the purpose of disclosing my invention, I have illustrated anembodiment thereof in the no accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a map support embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the supporting block;

2.5 Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 showing thedevice attached to a wall or other support;

Fig. {l is a front elevation of the roller supporting frame showing thesupporting block in dotted 50 lines for the purpose of illustrating morefully the operation thereof;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modified form of my supporting block;and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of 35 Fig. 5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the roller supportingmember comprises an elongated supporting bar I provided along its lengthat its upper and lower edges with rear- 40 wardly and downwardly turnedflanges 2. These provide lips 3 at the rear of the bar I and are spacedapart from the bar. At each end of the bar, I provide supportingbrackets 4 having an gularly extending bases 5 by which the same may 45be bolted to the front face of the bar. These brackets support a springroller 6 adapted to receive the maps. This roller is of the usual springroller type of support now in commercial use, both as shade rollers andmap rollers and the 5 structure is such that, due to the tension of thespring within the roller, the maps carried thereon may be unrolled andthe spring placed under tension. Thus, when the roller is released, itwill again roll the maps up. As is usual in structures 55 of thischaracter, one of the brackets for supporting this roller 6 is providedwith an ordinary round opening and the other is provided with a slottedor squared opening for receiving the pins of the roller.

This structure is adapted to be supported from 5 a supporting block Iprovided on its rear face with spacer bosses 8 or other similar spacermembers which are preferably adapted to surround the bolt receivingopenings 9 extending through the block. These spacer webs are providedso that 10 the block itself will be slightly spaced from the wall orother supporting members to which the block is adapted to be secured forpurposes which will more fully hereinafter appear. The supporting blockI is provided on its upper edge with a substantially fiat surface 10 androunded corners II. The bottom edge 12 of the block is substantiallystraight and parallel with the edge It] and at its two ends this edge isinclined upwardly as at I 3. The space between the flanges or lips 3 isjust sufficient to permit the insertion therein of the block 1. Thisblock I has projecting from its upper edge a pair of slightlylongitudinally spaced pins [4 adapted to enter pinreceiving openings ISin the top of the flanges 2.

In operation, the supporting block I is adapted to be secured againstthe wall or other supporting surface and it will be noted that due tothe bosses 8, this block will be spaced apart from the supportingsurface. The supporting bar is then hooked over the block, the blockentering between the spaoed apart edges of the lips 3 and the pins [4being adapted to project through the openings 15 in the top of the bar.Due to the fact that the top edges of the block are rounded off at thepoints II and the lower edges are tapered off at the point I3, thesupporting bar can rock on the block so as to accommodate itself to thepull on the maps in unrolling the same, thereby permitting the roller toalways run true.

In the modified structure illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the block I isformed on a hollow base 16 through the medium of a web [1 which willspace the block 1 from the base I6. This base projects at the points 18and 19 beyond the sides of the block and is provided with screw openings20 whereby the same may be secured to the wall or other supportingfoundation.

However, in both structures, the block is spaced from its support toaccommodate the inturned flanges 3 of the supporting bar.

Due to the construction disclosed, it is practically impossible toaccidentally dislodge the supporting bar 2 from the supporting block 1.When the bar 2 is rocked on the block, as indi- 5 cated in Fig. 4, thepins M are of suflicient length to insure both pins projecting throughthe openings. Furthermore, due to the fact that the bottom inturnedflange 3 is provided, if. for any reason the unrolled maps are releasedby the operator and allowed to fly back into rolled position, there willbe no danger of the bar jumping off of the block because of the factthat any Vertical jumping movement imparted to the bar would tend tolock the lower flange 3 of the bar behind the bottom edge of the block.

Therefore, it is practically impossible to acci-' dentally dislodge: thebar from the supporting block although the supporting bar may readily beremoved from the supporting block when desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channelled recess on its rear face and anopening in the top wall offlsaid recess intermediate of its ends, of asupporting block, and a pin projecting from the top edge of said blockadapted to enter the opening in the top wall of the sup- A porting bar,said recess being of suificient size to receive said block.

2. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channelled recess on, its rear face and a pairof 'spaced apart openings in the top wall of said recess intermediate ofits ends, a supporting block, a pair of spaced apart pins projectingfrom the top edge of said block and adapted to enter said openings, saidrecessbeing of sufficient size to receive said block.

3. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channelled recess in its rear face and anopening in the top Wall of said recess, of a supporting 6 block and apin projecting from the top edge of said block adapted to enter saidopening, the vertical width of the block being less than the totalwidthof the channel to permit said bar to rock on the top edge of saidblock. I

4. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channelled recess on its rear face and a pair ofspaced apart openings in the top Wall of said recess, of a supportingblock and a pair of spaced apart pins projectingfrom the top edge ofsaid block and adapted to enter said openings, the vertical width of theblock being less than the total width of the channel to permit said barto rock on the top edge of said block.

5. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channeled recess in its rear face and inturnedlips at the rear edge of said recess, the top wall of said channelhaving an opening therethrough, of a supporting block, means for spacirmsaid bar from a support to which it is to be attached and a pinprojecting from the top edge of said block adapted'to enter saidopening, the vertical width of said block being such as to permit thesame to be inserted into said recess through said inturned lips.

6.'In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channelled recess in its rear face, the edges ofsaid recess having inturned lips and the top wall of said recess havinga pair of spaced apart openings therein, of a supporting block, meansfor spacing said block from a support to which it is adapted to beattached and a pair of pins projecting from the top edge of said blockadapted to enter said openings, the top edge of said block having itsouter ends inclined downwardly and the vertical width of said blockbeing such as to permit the same to pass between said inturned lips.

7. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a supportingbar having a channelled recess in its rear face provided with inturnedlips and having a pair of spaced apart openings in the top Wall of saidrecess, of a supporting block, means for spacing said supporting blockfrom a support to which it is adapted to be attached and a pair ofupwardly projecting pins on the top edge of said block adapted toproject through said openings the vertical width of said block beingsuch as to permit it to pass between said inturned lips and said blockbeing tapered toward its side edges.

8. In a support for maps or the like, the combination with a rollersupporting bar having a channelled recess in its rear face provided withinturned lips and having a pair of spaced apart openings through the topwall thereof, of a sup-- porting block, means for spacing said blockfrom a support to which it is adapted to be attached, a pair of spacedapart pins projecting from the top edge of said blockand adapted toenter said openings, said block having its top and bottom edges roundedat its outer ends and having a vertical width permitting the same topass between the inturned lips. v

JOHNSE H. BECK.

